Page 12 of Orpheus
Apollo planted a firm kiss on my cheek before showcasing that gleaming grin on his face. “Then I’ll just have to bring the sun back up, won’t I?” he jokingly suggested.
I chuckled at his remark. Of course, he could control the sun. How quickly I had forgotten about it. “I would not want you to disrupt the entire world all for my sake,” I shared.
“You know I would easily do that, but I would not want to go against your wishes,” he replied.
A warm smile crept up on my face. It was rewarding to know that I had such power over him, even if but a small influence. What other mortal could say that about a god? Very few, I imagined.
“Thank you. And will I see you around the same time tomorrow, as always?” I asked, expecting the answer to likely be yes, if he was planning to stick to his normal pattern and routine with when he visited me throughout the week.
“About that…” he began. “Actually, I have other duties I need to attend to, and so do you.”
I raised my brow before spinning around to face him. “What do you mean? I don’t have any duties that I’m aware of.”
“Well, you will be aware of it now,” Apollo coolly stated as he paced around me in a circle. “I had one of my prophetic visions yesterday. It involved you for the first time ever.”
“Me!?” I exclaimed, shocked by this revelation. “What could the Fates possibly have in store for me? Whatever for?”
“I’m not exactly sure,” Apollo rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “But I’ve seen you singing to the occupants of a small port tavern in Paestum. There you will meet a man with the Golden Fleece. He is your destiny.”
“Paestum!? But that is at least a week’s journey. It will take forever to get there,” I spoke with pessimism.
“Use your father’s horses. Take a carriage with you,” Apollo nonchalantly stated as a simple solution.
“But…” I began, but the God of music must have sensed my reluctance, for he immediately disrupted my thoughts once more.
“It won’t be a concern. I will directly speak with Calliope. No one will hold you back from this journey, Orpheus. The Fates have spoken. It is not for us to contradict them,” he explained.
If Apollo was certain he could reason with my father and mother to let me go on this voyage, then I really shouldn’t have a single worry in the world. But, of course, I was scared. Never had I been alone on my own for such a great length of time. Was I prepared and trained to endure such a long trek? Furthermore, the guidance Apollo had just provided me contained very limited details.
“And when I get to this tavern on the port side of Paestum, I am to sing and perform there?” I asked with skepticism.
He nodded. “Yes. Just sing as you normally would. Do not give those patrons any special attention. I’m sure your music is something they will only hear once in their lifetime.”
I had a grotesque, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach at the very thought of performing in a tavern. “How can I sing in such a setting? I’m not some… common bard.” I may have sounded more imperious than I should have, but it was a simple truth. My skills and talents were not meant to be heard at local inns and taverns in small towns. My voice and instrumental playing were worthy of the gods. Not some random townsfolk, as if I were singing to beg for their tips and coins.
“It will only be once. Plus, you should not view this opportunity as a step beneath you. After all, it’s imperative that you gain the perspectives of all aspects of music and related jobs. It will only bring you more humility. More appreciation of the arts from all walks of life.” Apollo spoke so confidently, as if it was so easy, but I still had my doubts. My reservations.
“And how am I to find the man with the Golden Fleece? Will he be at the tavern? Should I be the one to approach him, or will he come and find me?” I asked.
So many raised questions, yet so few answers Apollo had for me. “I cannot say for certain. But I prophesied it, Orpheus. Therefore, it will happen naturally and no matter what. Just follow your intuition. That is all I can advise you.”
I was becoming more agitated with Apollo by the minute. He had no empathy for me or my feelings, which hurt me to the core. How could he expect me to just pack my belongings and leave my home, my family, my life behind me for an unforeseeable amount of time? It was impossible for me to commit to this journey so swiftly, even if it was a mark of destiny. I was giving up so much in order to do this, and for what?
Apollo had not provided me with the end result of why I should go on what seemed like a perilous quest. Yet, he thought I should just completely submit myself to him and this prophecy of his? It may have been of no consequence for him, but it certainly was for me. And somehow Apollo failed to see that.
But alas, I had no option in the matter. Such was my life living under the roof of a renowned king and a superior muse, as well as serving as the mentee of a god. I lived my life based on other people’s beliefs, decisions, and influences. Never had I had the opportunity to do things on my own, to make my own choices, using strictly the knowledge and instincts I had without anyone else having a say.
Perhaps that was the one benefit of this expedition to Paestum. I would not have my parents or Apollo hovering over my back. For once in my life, I would have to rely on myself, and it was about time I did so for a change.
The journey was tedious, to say the least, and proved to be far formidable than I could ever imagine. What I had originally thought to be a week-long journey turned into two weeks. I was forced to make several stops along the way to tend to the horses on my own, to start a fire with the basic knowledge I had in creating one. I bathed in unknown waters I was weary of, but managed to do it all without anyone’s assistance.
As I arrived in Paestum, a sense of accomplishment flooded me. I had done it. As much of a nuisance as this voyage was, I managed to overcome my apprehension and lack of trust in my capabilities, and that spoke volumes to me. It gave me a newfound confidence to know that I did not need the help of others to survive in this world. I could make it along just fine on my own if I needed to. I did not need King Oeagrus, Calliope, the other muses, or Apollo in order to live. Without them, my life may not be so straightforward and it would require a great deal of effort on my part, but nevertheless I would be able to manage.
Entering the small town close to nightfall, I hopped out of the carriage, greeted by a young stableboy of the village. Handing some coins off to him, I glanced back and forth between my horses and the boy, who wore raggedy garbs with traces of dirt on his cheeks. “Please, take good care of them,” I requested.
He nodded. “Of course, sir. Thank you. Your offer is most generous.”
And he jumped into the carriage and led the horses away.
